LEWISTOWN - Wedding fever is in the air for brides-to-be and their fiances as The Sentinel held the 2009 Bridal Expo on Sunday at the Lewistown Country Club.
A crowd of people lined up outside the banquet hall of the country club and were anxiously awaiting the beginning of the festivities, which boasted more vendors than last year's affair.
Mattea Kauffman, of McVeytown, showed up to the Bridal Expo alone and on a mission. Her wedding date is scheduled for June 4, 2011, so she decided to take this opportunity to browse the selection of vendors for two essential "musts."
"I need music and a cake decorator," Kauffman said.
Kauffman had a few local choices. Margie Wagner, owner of Cakes by Margie, was on hand to showcase some of the cakes she has done for weddings in the past.
"We have done about 25 to 30 weddings so far this year," Wagner said. "Business is good."
Jamie Bennett, of McAlisterville, showed up to the event with her fiance, Charles Welis, of Mifflintown.
Although their slated wedding date is less than a year away, they both decided it would be beneficial to check out the other vendors and "make sure we didn't miss anything," Bennett said.
The 2009 Bridal Expo offered almost everything a future bride would need to plan her wedding, whether it be entertainment, floral arrangements, custom invitations, a wedding gown, the perfect wedding caterer, or even a makeover by Patty Zannino, independent Mary Kay sales consultant.
One of the main things Zannino had on display were skin care products; she stressed that if the bride does not have good skin, "forget about it."
Taking a teaching approach to applying makeup, Zannino offers brides-to-be parties one to two months before the big day- for free.
Budget is everything, and a majority of the vendors that participated in the Bridal Expo were aware of this factor.
Daniel Firth, owner of Deihl's Flowers Inc., revealed that his company is more than willing to work within a future bride's budget to make their day special. With more than 35 years of experience, Firth said he has "seen it all" when it comes to floral arrangements and colors.
Sentinel Style Columnist Jacquie Bennett gave a speech on the do's and don'ts when choosing proper bridal formalwear. She also discussed tips on how to select certain environmentally friendly aspects of your wedding that could help save money - especially when working on a budget.
"It's a good ecological choice ... there are good savings as far as cost," Bennett said of choosing a green wedding.
Going green may not be for everybody, but if using natural elements is something you may want to use for floral arrangements or center pieces, Sally Yoder of Natural Designs knows what to do.
"All materials are collected from nature," Yoder said.
She tends to use elements that are in season, such as corn husks, pine cones, herbs from the garden, or even vines that are gathered in the woods. Of course, Yoder said, she can be flexible with arrangements.
Overall, the 2009 Bridal Expo was a great success, Sentinel Advertising Consultant Doris Fultz said.
"We had 186 people participate this year ... last year we had 100 people," Fultz said.
The local vendors that participated on Sunday evening were: Central Novelty, lia sophia Jewelry, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Natural Design, Ewing and Company, Cakes by Margie/Avon, Creekside Catering LCC, Bon-Ton, Kish Printing, Deihl's Flowers Inc., Pampered Chef, Goss Bridal, LoveShine Rentals, Heritage Makers, Walmart, JRP Photos, Amanda Baker Photography, Paisley Bride, Misty Meadow Stables, Laurel Rock Farm/Britcher Tent Rentals and harpist Ruth Hunter.
